SAFE YOUR SMART PHONE

SAFE YOUR SMART PHONE

If you are still coping with threats to your system, then be ready to do the same with your mobile phone, especially the high-end ones that are enabled with internet. Mobile phones are now more vulnerable to virus attacks and the risk has increased manifold in the last few years. With mobile phones without IMEI number flooding in the market, this risk has increased a lot. Virus can attack files like games, software, security patches, and ad-on functionalities of your mobile. However, with the problem comes a solution as well. There are ways, which can help you protect your mobile from an attack by viruses or malware. All you need to do is to be a little vigilant.

Steps to follow

The steps you should follow to protect your mobile include:

Mobile antivirus: You can download an antivirus application directly in your smartphone
Branded mobiles: make sure that you always choose a mobile from a recognized brand, which come with IMEI number.
Scan your mobile: Once you download an antivirus application in your phone, remember to scan your mobile often to search for any virus.
Turn off Bluetooth: Bluetooth is another way through which unknown applications or virus can make way into your mobile, so when in unknown places, it is better to turn the Bluetooth function off.
The bright side for mobile users

The numbers of mobile malware and worms are constantly on the rise, as virus writers creates new ways of attacking software run by mobile phones. When on one side virus attacks on mobile is increasing at a fast pace, on the other side expanding field of mobile communications also offer opportunity of designing security in a proper manner. Other than installing mobile antivirus, you should follow some precautionary steps to make sure that your mobile stay away from virus attack. When you surf the net from your mobile, ensure that you download content from a reliable website only.

Other points to remember to protect your mobile device

Some of the other points, which you should keep in mind include:
Avoid downloading unknown software from internet
It is also recommended to maintain a backup of your contact list
When accepting content and programs like videos, mobile themes, photos, etc. verify the source, especially while downloading from the web.
If you have Bluetooth, then put it on non-discoverable mode, and never accept data, which comes from sources you do not trust.
You can also use password to protect your device, as this helps to prevent the use of data stored in your phone.
Update virus database and stay away from malicious messages

Just like your system, keep the virus database of your mobile antivirus updated all the time, so that it can protect your mobile from new viruses, which can creep into it. Even though viruses created for mobile phones are not very damaging, but the future is unpredictable, so you should be prepared for the worst attacks. Viruses can also spread through multimedia messages, so keep away from sharing such messages, as these can be malicious.

Android-based smart phone users infectious Trojan virus

Android-based smart phone users against an infectious Trojan virus

Cybersecurity sleuths have alerted Android-based smart phone users against an infectious Trojan virus which steals vital information from the personal device and can even illegally send SMSes to those on the mobile contact list.

The deadly virus has been identified as 'AndroidSmssend' and it can acquire as many as four aliases to hoodwink the user and perpetrate its destructive activities on a personal Android enabled phone.

"Android/SmsSend is a premium service abuser family malware that arrives bundled with legitimate Android applications and infects Android based smartphones
"Once infected, it sends text messages (typically with a link to itself or a different threat) to a specific number, typically to numbers on the contact list and is also capable to send SMS to premium rate numbers," the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) said in its latest advisory to Android phone users in the country.

The CERT-In is the nodal agency to combat hacking, phishing and to fortify security-related defences of the Indian internet domain.

It said that after a typical successful infection of the virus, basic information about the smart phone like IMEI number, device id, device type among others are compromised and it can even install spyware on the targeted device.

The virus is so notorious, the agency said, that it "steals contacts and pictures, tracks the location, steals passwords, illegally accesses text messages, crashes a complete system, steals personal banking information when logged in, installs other sort of spyware and disables firewall and anti-virus program to defend itself."

The CERT-In said the malware is created by modifying the legitimate application and then re-distributing via marketplace or other separate channels.

The agency has suggested some counter-measures in this regard.

"Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources, install applications downloaded from reputed application market only, run a full system scan on device with mobile security solution or mobile anti-virus solution, check for the permissions required by an application before installing, exercise caution while visiting trusted/untrusted sites for clicking links, install Android updates and patches and use device encryption or encrypting external SD card feature available with most of the android OS (operating system)," it said.

Also, avoid using unsecured, unknown Wi-Fi networks and make a practice of taking regular backup of the Android device, the advisory said.